Yarn piecing device

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for inserting a yarn tail into operating position within the spinning head of a device for performing open end yarn spinning which comprises a first elongated hollow member of a length greater than the length of the spinning head so that it can be extended completely therethrough, a second elongated member at least as long as the first member, the second member being located within the first member and being reciprocable with respect thereto, operator means attached to said first and second members at one end thereof to effect longitudinal movement of the second member with respect to the first member, and means on the end of said second elongated member opposite the operator means cooperable with said first elongated member to hold the yarn tail therebetween when inserting yarn into a spinning head.

United States Patent Dubois 1451 Sept. 19, 1972 [54] YARN PIECING DEVICE 72 i t h D bois N n hf Primary Examiner-John Petrakes v 1 men or {zi u o h Attorney-John R. Bronaugh, Floyd S. Levison, E.

Dennis OConnor and Richard A. Speer [73] Ass1gnee: North American Rockwell Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Guignard et al ..57/106 ABSTRACT An apparatus for inserting a yarn tail into operating position within the spinning head of a device for performing open end yarn spinning which comprises a first elongated hollow member of a length greater than the length of the spinning head so that it can be extended completely therethrough, a second elongated member, at least as long as the first member, the

second member being located within the first member and being reciprocable with respect thereto, operator means attached to said first and second members at one end thereof to effect longitudinal movement of the second member with respect to the first member, and means on the end of said second elongated member opposite the operator means cooperable with said first elongated member to hold the yarn tail therebetween when inserting yarn into a spinning head.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures YARN puzcmo DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION An apparatus for gripping the free end of a piece of yarn to insert the yarn into an open end of a spinning unit which apparatus comprises a pair of cooperating, elongated relatively reciprocable members which have yarn clamping means on one end and an operator handle on the other end.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION One method by which textile yarns may be produced from fibers obtained from raw sliver or roving is the open end spinning process. In this process, textile fibers are conveyed individually across a transport zone and collected in a spinning head where they are twisted into yarn. This method is referred to as open end because there is no connection between the yarn being produced and the drafting equipment which normally precedes the site of yarn production. Open end twisting may be effected by any one of several means such as, for example, electrostatically, pneumatically or by the use of centrifugal forces in a drum rotating at high speeds.

In some of these systems the problem of rethreading yarn which has been broken for some reason presents no major problem due to the basic physical construction of the apparatus. On the other hand, the electrical or electrostatic system utilizes a high speed rotating spinning head with a comparatively long bore through which the twisted yarn passes before leaving the spinning head. In this case, the problem of reinserting the yarn tail into the spinning head to again start spinning operations is difficult and yet must be expedi' tiously accomplished if smooth spinning operations are to be obtained without costly delays in restarting the machine.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a simple, dependable and easily usable apparatus for reinserting yarn tail back into a spinning head in an ap paratus of the open end spinning type.

It is further object of this invention to provide a mechanical piece-up device which is readily movable to service more than one spindle spinning apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus of this invention provides a completely mechanical yarn inserting device which can be readily inserted through the rotatable spindle of an open end spinning apparatus to grip the broken yarn and draw it back into operating position within the spinning head. The apparatus includes a first elongated member which is of a length greater than the overall length of the spinning head so that it can pass completely through the head to grasp the yarn end at the bottom of the spinning apparatus. Within the first elongated member there is a second elongated member which is of a length at least as great as the first elongated member and which can be reciprocated relative to the outer first member. On one end of the two elongated members there are provided operator means including a spring biased depressible actuator for moving the inner or second elongated member back and forth within the first elongated member. Finally, on the end of the second elongated member opposite the operating means there is provided a means which is cooperable with the first elongated member to hold the yarn tail between these two members as the yarn is being drawn back into the spinning head.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS piecing device inserted into the spindle of an electrostatic spinning head.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The yarn thread piecing device 8 shown in FIG. l consists of a first elongated member in the form of hollow tubing 10 which has operator means 12 attached to one end. The operator means comprises a hand grip l4 and an actuator means in the form of push button 18 which is mounted on the grip 14 over the end of tube 10. Actuator means 18 is attached to the grip 14 in a manner permitting it to be moved reciprocably toward and away from the grip. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, guide pins 22 are attached to push button 18 and are receivable into cooperating recesses 16 extending through grip 14. These pins serve to prevent turning of actuator means 18 and to aid reciprocation between the actuator means and the handle grip. A biasing spring 20 is mounted within suitably formed recesses in the push button 18 and the handle 12.

A second elongated member in the form of needlelike rod 24 is attached at one end to push button 18 and extends through the center of spring 20 and all the way through the hollow tubing 10. As best viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3, rod 24 has means 26 mounted on the end opposite the operator means. The means 26 forms an enlarged end of the rod in the form of a ball, although the enlarged end could be of other configurations such as a flared cone. Enlarged end 26 cooperates with the first elongated member 10 to hold the yarn tail 40 as shown in FIG. 3. Enlarged end 26 upon engaging the end of hollow tube 10 limits the upward movement of push button 18.

Upon breakage of a yarn during operation of the electrostatic type of open end spinning head, it becomes necessary to draw the yarn end from the supply wound before the spinning interruption back into the spinning head.

rounds the funnel and forms the upper portion of the spinning head. Electrode element 35 is mounted within the spinning head 28 with spindle 30 passing therethrough. The electrode element causes the spindle to have a charge which attracts the staple. A gripper device 38 mounted within the spindle 30 causes the incoming yarn fiber to be twisted into yarn thread.

Upon yarn rupture, the mechanical yarn piecing apparatus 8 is inserted through the top of the spindle 30. Tubing 10 passes down through the dome 34, the funnel 36, the spindle gripper 38, and down through the spindle cavity to a position below the spindle assembly. The yarn piecing device is in the closed position at this time. The push button 18 is then depressed, which force compresses the spring 20 and moves the needle rod 24 and attached needle end ball 26 to the open position. Yarn thread 40 is engaged by the rod 24 as shown in FIG. 2. The yarn push button 18 is then released and the spring 20 returns the needle rod 24 to the closed position shown in FIG. 3. The broken yarn 40 is now trapped and held by the ball 26 and the inside wall of the hollow tubing 10. The yarn piecing device 8 is now retracted up through the spindle assembly along with the yarn.

After removal of the piecing device, the operator then releases the yarn and causes the spinning head to resume the electrostatic spinning operation. The end of the yarn drawn up the spindle forms a charged tail extending outwardly from funnel 36. The fibers being fed to the funnel are attracted to this tail, thus effecting a resumption of the continuous spinning operation.

Thus it can be seen that s single mechanical yarn piecing device can be used as needed for a multitude of spindles of a spinning apparatus, thereby achieving the objectives previously set forth.

Having thus described the invention in complete detail, it will be understood that these details need not be strictly adhered to and that various changes and modifications may be made, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

' What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for inserting a yarn tail into operating position within the spinning head of a device for performing open end yarn spinning, said apparatus comprising a first elongated hollow member of a length greater than the length of the spinning head so that it can be extended completely therethrough, a second elongated member at least as long as said first member, said second member being located within said first member and being reciprocable with respect thereto, operator means attached to said first and'second members at one end thereof to effect longitudinal movement of said second member with respect to said first member, and enlarged means on the end of said second elongated member opposite said operator means of such a size as to engage the end of said first elongated hollow member and hold the yarn tail therebetween when inserting it into a spinning head. 1

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said operator means includes a handle and an actuator means secured to the end of said second member foreffecting reciprocating movement thereof.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said operator means includes spring biasing means operably disposed bgtween said handle and said acgigtor means to urge sal actuator means away from sal andle and maintain the means on the end of said second elongated member in contact with said first elongated member.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said handle has at least one guide recess therein, said actuator means including at least one guide means which engages said guide recess, thereby limiting turning of the said members with respect to each other.

' a: a: at :4:

Dedication 3,691,744-.J086]9h W. Dubai-s, North Smithfield, RI. YARN PIECING DEVICE. Patent dated Sept. 19, 1972. Dedication filed Mar. 23, 1977, by the assignee, Electmspz'n Gorgamutz'on. Hereby dedicates to the Public the entire term of said patent.

[Ofiicz'al Gazette May 10, 1.977.] 

1. An apparatus for inserting a yarn tail into operating position within the spinning head of a device for performing open end yarn spinning, said apparatus comprising a first elongated hollow member of a length greater than the length of the spinning head so that it can be extended completely therethrough, a second elongated member at least as long as said first member, said second member being located within said first member and being reciprocable with respect thereto, operator means attached to said first and second members at one end thereof to effect longitudinal movement of said second member with respect to said first member, and enlarged means on the end of said second elongated member opposite said operator means of such a size as to engage the end of said first elongated hollow member and hold the yarn tail therebetween when inserting it into a spinning head.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said operator means includes a handle and an actuator means secured to the end of said second member for effecting reciprocating movement thereof.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said operator means includes spring biasing means operably disposed between said handle and said actuator means to urge said actuator means away from said handle and maintain the means on the end of said second elongated member in contact with said first elongated member.
 4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said handle has at least one guide recess therein, said actuator means including at least one guide means which engages said guide recess, thereby limiting turning of the said members with respect to each other. 